Walata, Mauritania Where the African coast touches the Atlantic, Mauritania, structures a geographic and cultural span between the North African Maghrib and the westerly fragment of sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, due to its dried tropical climate, aridity characterizes the preeminent part of the country. Close to its eastern border, on the route from Timbuktu to the northern cities, located Walata, a major caravan city. Founded originally as a small farming community before the 10th century by Mandé speaking peoples, Its name ‘Walata’ originated from the Malinké word wala – stands for a place in the shade. The city took importance when the Imazighen city-state at Awdaghust was absorbed by the Murabatin leader ibn Yasin in the 10th century in his bid to wrest control of the trans-Saharan trade from the Empire of Ghana. Its architectural style correlates with three of the other main methods of stone architecture of the Sahara. An urban cluster, its walls are constructed of rough-cut local limestone stone, bound with mortar, and assembled to walls. Entered through a set of shaded passages, the city quarters lead to different size dwellings, usually comprised of two stories, supported by a set of outer walls at different heights. Each family unit is accessed via a single door, the layout shows a large square or rectangular, framed by different rooms surrounding a large open courtyard, in which each space opens to, the courtyards usually include a staircase leading to the higher level. Exterior walls are plastered with a thick layer of red clay, which becomes a yearly ritual for replastering and protecting one's home. Uniquely in the Sahara, colourful ornaments, created by women, with technics that passed by generations, become a prominent part of the design of the facades of the courtyards, interior spaces and notably on main doorways. Symoblacly named takhtad or a trace resembles the finery worn by Walatan women for festive times. #walata #walataurbanism #africantypology #africaresearch #adjayeafricaarchitecture #adjayeresearch #africanknowledgesystems #africanknowledge #adjaye #africa #mauritaniaarchitecture #mauritania🇲🇷